U.S. patent application number 12/669148 was filed with the patent office on 2010-08-05 for relay station, mobile station, and relay transmission method in mobile communication system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Panasonic Corporation. Invention is credited to Takashi Aramaki, Katsuhiko Hiramatsu, Jun Hirano, Kenichi Miyoshi, Yoshiko Saito, Hidetoshi Suzuki.
Application Number | 20100197223 12/669148 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40259481 |
Filed Date | 2010-08-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100197223 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Saito; Yoshiko ; et
al. |
August 5, 2010 |
RELAY STATION, MOBILE STATION, AND RELAY TRANSMISSION METHOD IN
MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Abstract
Provided is a mobile communication system which includes a
plurality of RAT (Radio Access Technology) and can eliminate the
need of a control channel for reporting RAT information so as to
prevent congestion or shortage of the control channel capacity. In
the mobile communication system, an LTE relay station (30) has a
cover area (31) identical to a cover area (21) owned by a WLAN host
station (20) and relays/transmits the signal received from an LTE
base station (10) to a mobile station (40) in the cover area (31).
The LTE relay station (30) adds to the signal received from the LTE
base station (10), one of the offsets: a frequency offset, a time
offset, and a power offset as information indicating that the
mobile station (40) which receives a relay signal from the local
station is located in the cover area (21) of WLAN and transmits the
signal after offset addition to the mobile station (40) located in
the cover area (31) (i.e., the cover area (21)).
Inventors: |
Saito; Yoshiko; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Aramaki; Takashi; (Osaka, JP) ; Miyoshi;
Kenichi; (Kanagawa, JP) ; Hiramatsu; Katsuhiko;
(Leuven, JP) ; Suzuki; Hidetoshi; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Hirano; Jun; (Kanagawa, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Dickinson Wright PLLC;James E. Ledbetter, Esq.
International Square, 1875 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 1200
Washington
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
Panasonic Corporation
Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
40259481 |
Appl. No.: |
12/669148 |
Filed: |
July 18, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
July 18, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2008/001935 |
371 Date: |
January 14, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/23 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 84/047 20130101;
H04W 16/26 20130101; H04W 16/24 20130101; H04W 48/08 20130101; H04B
7/15507 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/23 |
International
Class: |
H04B 7/165 20060101
H04B007/165 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 19, 2007 |
JP |
2007-188572 |
Dec 21, 2007 |
JP |
2007-330837 |
Claims
1. A relay station comprising: a receiving section that receives a
signal from a base station employing a first radio access technique
and covering a first coverage area; an addition section that adds
one of a frequency offset, a time offset and a power offset to the
signal; and a transmitting section that transmits to a mobile
station the signal with the offset, in a third coverage area that
is identical to a second coverage area, part or entirety of which
includes the first coverage area, and which is covered by a host
station employing a second radio access technique different from
the first radio access technique.
2. A mobile station comprising: a receiving section that receives,
in a first coverage area, a signal transmitted by a base station
employing a first radio access technique and covering the first
coverage area, and that receives a signal relayed by a relay
station in a third coverage area that is identical to a second
coverage area, part or entirety of which includes the first
coverage area, and which is covered by a host station employing a
second radio access technique different from the first radio access
technique; and a detection section that detects whether or not the
mobile station is located in the second coverage area, based on
which one of a frequency offset, a time offset and a power offset
is added to the received signal.
3. A mobile communication system comprising: a base station that
employs a first radio access technique and covers a first coverage
area; a host station that covers a second coverage area, part or
entirety of which includes the first coverage area, and that
employs a second access technique different from the first radio
access technique; a relay station that covers a third coverage area
identical to the second coverage area, and that adds one of a
frequency offset, a time offset and a power offset to the signal
received from the base station, and that transmits the signal with
the offset to a mobile station located in the third coverage area;
and a mobile station that detects whether or not the mobile station
is located in the second coverage area, based on whether or not the
offset is added to the received signal. A relay transmission method
comprising the steps of: adding one of a frequency offset, a time
offset and a power offset to a signal received from a base station,
employing a first radio access technique and covering a first
coverage area; and transmitting the signal with one offset to a
mobile station in a third coverage area that is identical to a
second coverage area, part or entirety of which includes the first
coverage area, and which is covered by a host station employing a
second radio access technique different from the first radio access
technique.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a relay station, mobile
station and relay transmission method in mobile communication
systems.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In recent years, with the multimediatization of information
in mobile communication systems, transmitting high capacity data
such as still images and movies in addition to speech data has
become popular. To realize the transmission of high capacity data,
a technology in which a high-frequency radio band is used to
provide a high transmission rate is studied actively.
[0003] However, when a high-frequency radio band is used, although
a high transmission rate can be expected in a short distance,
attenuation due to transmission distance becomes greater as the
distance increases. Accordingly, when the mobile communication
system employing a high-frequency radio band is operated, the
coverage area of a radio communication base station apparatus
(hereinafter "base station") becomes small, which requires that a
larger number of base stations be set up in order to prevent the
service area from reducing. Since the set-up of base stations
involves large costs, a technology is strongly demanded for
realizing communication services which employ a high-frequency
radio band and preventing an increase in the number of base
stations.
[0004] To meet this demand, to expand the coverage area of the base
stations, relay transmission technologies are investigated in which
a radio communication relay station apparatus (hereinafter "relay
station") is set up between a radio communication mobile station
apparatus (hereinafter "mobile station") and a base station, and in
which communication between the mobile station and the base station
is carried out via the relay station.
[0005] Meanwhile, in future mobile communication systems, combining
various radio access technologies (RATs) such as W-CDMA (Wideband
Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (long-term evolution), WLAN
(Wireless LAN), and WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave
Access) and overlapping a plurality of RAT coverage areas in the
service area of mobile communication will be taken into
consideration. Then, in these mobile communication systems, a
mobile station needs to detect in which RAT coverage area the
mobile station is currently located and what communication service
the mobile station is enjoyable. For example, when part of an LTE
coverage area includes a WLAN coverage area, a mobile station
located in the WLAN coverage area does not enjoy a WLAN
communication service unless the mobile station detects that the
mobile station is located in the WLAN coverage area, and the mobile
station enjoys an LTE communication service only.
[0006] Then, conventionally, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a
technique of detecting in which RAT coverage area the mobile
stations are located by reporting another RAT's information (e.g.
WLAN) to the mobile stations from a RAT's base station (e.g. LTE)
based on location information of the mobile stations.
Non-Patent Document 1: 3GPP TS 25.331 V5.19.0 (2006-12); Technical
Specification, 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical
Specification Group Radio Access Network; Radio Resource Control
(RRC); Protocol Specification (Release 5)
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0007] However, with the above conventional technique, a control
channel for reporting information about other RATs to the mobile
stations is necessary. For example, when part of an LTE coverage
area includes a WLAN coverage area, according to the above
conventional technique, an LTE base station needs to report to
mobile stations RAT information about WLAN (i.e. the information
including RAT types and coverage area information about WLAN) using
an LTE control channel. For this reason, according to the above
conventional technique, a control channel of large capacity is
necessary to report RAT information. The number of mixed RATs is
expected to further increase in the future, and therefore there is
a fear that the amount of RAT information and the frequency of
reporting RAT information increase become tight or insufficient
control channel capacity.
[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a relay station, mobile station and relay transmission
method that make a control channel for reporting RAT information
unnecessary and prevent control channel capacity from becoming
tight or insufficient in a mobile communication system in which a
plurality of RATs mix.
Means for Solving the Problem
[0009] The relay station of the present invention adopts a
configuration including: a receiving section that receives a signal
from a base station employing a first radio access technique and
covering a first coverage area; an addition section that adds one
of a frequency offset, a time offset and a power offset to the
signal; and a transmitting section that transmits to a mobile
station the signal with the offset, in a third coverage area that
is identical to a second coverage area, part or entirety of which
includes the first coverage area, and which is covered by a host
station employing a second radio access technique different from
the first radio access technique.
[0010] The mobile station of the present invention adopts a
configuration including: a receiving section that receives, in a
first coverage area, a signal transmitted by a base station
employing a first radio access technique and covering a first
coverage area, and that receives a signal relayed by a relay
station in a third coverage area that is identical to a second
coverage area, part or entirety of which includes the first
coverage area, and which is covered by a host station employing a
second radio access technique different from the first radio access
technique; and a detection section that detects whether or not the
mobile station is located in the second coverage area, based on
which one of a frequency offset, a time offset and a power offset
is added to the received signal.
[0011] The relay transmission method of the present invention
includes steps of: adding one of a frequency offset, a time offset
and a power offset to a signal received from a base station,
employing a first radio access technique and covering a first
coverage area; and transmitting the signal with one offset to a
mobile station in a third coverage area that is identical to a
second coverage area, part or entirety of which includes the first
coverage area, and which is covered by a host station employing a
second radio access technique different from the first radio access
technique.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0012] According to the present invention, in the mobile
communication system in which a plurality of RATs mix, it is
possible to make a control channel for reporting RAT information
unnecessary and prevent control channel capacity from becoming
tight or insufficient.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of the mobile
communication system according to embodiments of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an example of transmitting and receiving a signal
according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a reference table that the relay station has,
according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a reference table that the mobile station has,
according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the
relay station according to Embodiment 1 of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the
mobile station according to Embodiment 1 of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 7 is an example of transmitting and receiving a signal
according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a reference table that the relay station has,
according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a reference table that the mobile station has,
according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the
relay station according to Embodiment 2 of the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the
mobile station according to Embodiment 2 of the present
invention;
[0024] FIG. 12 is an example of transmitting and receiving a signal
according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a reference table that the relay station has,
according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a reference table that the mobile station has,
according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the
relay station according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;
and
[0028] FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the
mobile station according to Embodiment 3 of the present
invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0029] Now, embodiments of the present invention will be described
in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a mobile communication system according to
embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, with the
mobile communication system according to the following embodiments,
part of LTE coverage area 11 (i.e. coverage area of a wideband
communication system) includes an entire WLAN coverage area 21
(i.e. coverage area of a narrowband communication system). That is,
part of LTE coverage area 11 overlaps entire WLAN coverage area
21.
[0031] LTE base station 10, which covers coverage area 11,
transmits a signal in this coverage area 11. This signal is
received by LTE relay station 30 and mobile station 40. LTE relay
station 30 covers identical coverage area 31 to coverage area 21,
which WLAN host station 20 has, and relays, in coverage area 31,
the signal received from LTE base station 10 to mobile station 40.
That is, LTE relay station 30 relays a signal of LTE in WLAN
coverage area 21 only. Therefore, mobile station 40 directly
receives a signal transmitted by LTE base station 10 in coverage
area 11, and receives a signal relayed by LTE relay station 30 in
coverage area 31 (i.e. coverage area 21).
[0032] To make coverage area 31 and coverage area 21 identical, it
is preferable to position LTE relay station 30 in an identical
place to WLAN host station 20.
[0033] Further, LTE relay station 30 adds, to the relay signal,
information to show that mobile station 40 receiving the relay
signal from LTE relay station 30, is located in WLAN coverage area
21. To be more specific, LTE relay station 30 adds either a
frequency offset, a time offset or a power offset, as the above
information to the signal received from LTE base station 10, and
transmits the signal with the offset to mobile station 40, located
in coverage area 31 (that is, coverage area 21). This process of
adding an offset is performed in a lower layer than layer 1.
[0034] That is, mobile station 40 can decide whether or not the
mobile station 40 is located in WLAN coverage area 21 based on
which one of the above offsets is added to a received signal.
Consequently, mobile station 40 can enjoy a WLAN communication
service when mobile station 40 is located in coverage area 21
within coverage area 11.
Embodiment 1
[0035] With the present embodiment, a case will be described where
a frequency offset is added to a signal subject to relay.
[0036] With the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, LTE base
station 10 transmits a signal having a center frequency
f.sub.C.
[0037] When LTE relay station 30 receives the signal from LTE base
station 10 and relays the signal to mobile station 40, LTE relay
station 30 adds frequency offset .DELTA.f to the signal from LTE
base station 10, to shift the center frequency to f.sub.R. The
magnitude of .DELTA.f varies between RATs covering an identical
coverage area to coverage area 31 of LTE relay station 30. For
example, if coverage area 31 of LTE relay station 30 is identical
to WLAN coverage area 21 as shown in FIG. 1, .DELTA.f is 30 kHz as
shown in FIG. 3. Further, for example, if coverage area 31 of LTE
relay station 30 is identical to a WiMAX coverage area, .DELTA.f is
60 kHz as shown in FIG. 3. Then, LTE relay station 30 relays the
signal having center frequency f.sub.R to mobile station 40.
[0038] Mobile station 40 decides in which RAT coverage area mobile
station 40 is located based on whether or not frequency offset
.DELTA.f is added to the received signal.
[0039] Mobile station 40, located in the overlapping part of LTE
coverage area 11 and another RAT coverage area, receives both the
signal having center frequency f.sub.C and transmitted by LTE base
station 10 and the signal having center frequency f.sub.R and
relayed by LTE relay station 30. Accordingly, mobile station 40,
located in overlapping part of LTE coverage area 11 and another RAT
coverage area, can detect frequency offset
.DELTA.f=|f.sub.R-f.sub.C| added by LTE relay station 30. For
example, as shown in FIG. 4, when .DELTA.f having a range of 29 to
31 kHz is added to a received signal, mobile station 40 detects
that mobile station 40 is located in WLAN coverage area 21 and can
enjoy both WLAN and LTE communication services. Further, for
example, as shown in FIG. 4, when .DELTA.f having a range of 59 to
61 kHz is added to a received signal, mobile station 40 detects
that mobile station 40 is located in the WiMAX coverage area and
can enjoy both WiMAX and LTE communication services.
[0040] On the other hand, mobile station 40, located outside the
above overlapping part in LTE coverage area 11, receives only the
signal having center frequency f.sub.C and transmitted by LTE base
station 10. Accordingly, mobile station 40, located outside the
above overlapping part in LTE coverage area 11, cannot detect
frequency offset .DELTA.f having the ranges shown in FIG. 4. For
example, when .DELTA.f having the ranges shown in FIG. 4 is not
added to a received signal, mobile station 40 detects that mobile
station 40 is not located in WLAN coverage area 21 or in the WiMAX
coverage area and can enjoy LTE communication service only. That
is, when frequency offset .DELTA.f is not added to a received
signal, mobile station 40 can decide that mobile station 40 is
located outside the coverage area of a narrowband communication
system.
[0041] Next, an optimal value of frequency offset .DELTA.f will be
explained.
[0042] In LTE, when the maximum downlink carrier frequency is 2690
MHz and the maximum moving speed of a mobile station is 350 km/h,
the maximum frequency error due to crystal error in the mobile
station upon detecting a coverage area (i.e. upon acquiring initial
synchronization) is estimated, for example, .+-.5 ppm. This maximum
frequency error refers to an error in the initial status of the
crystal provided in the mobile station, that is, an error before
performing synchronization acquisition. Accordingly, the maximum
Doppler shift due to fading is 872 Hz and the maximum frequency
error due to crystal error is 13450 Hz. Accordingly, the maximum
frequency error f.sub.error--max=(the maximum Doppler shift due to
fading+the maximum frequency error due to crystal error)=14322
Hz.apprxeq.14 kHz. Therefore, the value of frequency offset
.DELTA.f added by LTE relay station 30 needs to be within the range
of f.sub.detect that can be detected in mobile station 40 and
separatable from the maximum frequency error
f.sub.error--max.apprxeq.14 kHz. That is, to make detection easier,
it is preferable that the value of .DELTA.f meets both condition
(1) .DELTA.f.ltoreq.f.sub.detect-f.sub.error--max and condition (2)
.DELTA.f>2*f.sub.error--max. Then, with the present embodiment,
as shown in FIG. 3, .DELTA.f in WLAN is 30 kHz and .DELTA.f in
WiMAX is 60 kHz.
[0043] Next, the configuration of LTE relay station 30 according to
the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 shows the
configuration of LTE relay station 30 according to the present
embodiment.
[0044] In LTE relay station 30 shown in FIG. 5, radio receiving
section 302 receives a signal transmitted from LTE base station 10
via antenna 301, and performs receiving processing including
down-conversion and A/D conversion on the received signal, to
output the resulting signal to frequency offset addition section
304.
[0045] Offset determination section 303, which has the table shown
in FIG. 3, determines frequency offset .DELTA.f with reference to
the table shown in FIG. 3 according to RAT type information
received as input. If the RAT type is WLAN, .DELTA.f is determined
to be 30 kHz. Further, if the RAT type is WiMAX, .DELTA.f is
determined to be 60 kHz. If LTE relay station 30 is connected to a
host station of a narrowband communication system that covers an
identical coverage area to LTE relay station 30 (e.g. WLAN host
station 20 in FIG. 1) via a wired connection, LTE relay station 30
acquires RAT type information from the host station. .DELTA.f
determined in offset determination section 303 is inputted to
frequency offset addition section 304.
[0046] Frequency offset addition section 304 adds .DELTA.f
determined in offset determination section 303 to the signal
received as input from radio receiving section 302, and outputs the
signal with the frequency offset to radio transmitting section
305.
[0047] Radio transmitting section 305 performs transmitting
processing including D/A conversion and up-conversion on the signal
with the frequency offset, and relays the resulting signal from
antenna 301 to mobile station 40.
[0048] Next, the configuration of mobile station 40 according to
the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 shows the
configuration of mobile station 40 according to the present
embodiment.
[0049] In mobile station 40 shown in FIG. 6, radio receiving
section 402 receives only a signal from LTE base station 10, or a
signal from LTE base station 10 and a signal from LTE relay station
30 via antenna 401, and performs receiving processing including
down-conversion and A/D conversion on each received signal, to
output the resulting signal to frequency error compensation section
403, frequency error detection section 404 and frequency offset
detection section 405.
[0050] Frequency error detection section 404 detects a frequency
error f.sub.error of the received signal=(Doppler shift due to
fading+the frequency error due to crystal error) and outputs the
detected frequency error to frequency error compensation section
403 and frequency offset detection section 405.
[0051] Frequency error compensation section 403 compensates for the
frequency error f.sub.error of the received signal and outputs the
signal after the frequency error compensation to demodulation
section 407 and frequency offset compensation section 408.
[0052] Demodulation section 407 demodulates the signal after
frequency error compensation and outputs the demodulated signal to
diversity combination section 410.
[0053] Frequency offset detection section 405 detects frequency
offset .DELTA.f=|f.sub.R-f.sub.C| with the received signal. The
detected .DELTA.f is inputted to RAT detection section 406 and
frequency offset compensation section 408.
[0054] Frequency offset compensation section 408 further
compensates for the frequency offset .DELTA.f with the signal after
frequency error compensation and outputs the signal after frequency
offset compensation, to demodulation section 409.
[0055] Demodulation section 409 demodulates the signal after the
frequency error compensation and the frequency offset compensation,
and outputs the demodulated signal to diversity combination section
410.
[0056] Diversity combination section 410 diversity-combines the
signal received as input from demodulation section 407 and the
signal received as input from demodulation section 409 and outputs
a combined signal.
[0057] RAT detection section 406, which has the table shown in FIG.
4 detects in which RAT coverage area mobile station 40 is located
as described above, with reference to the table shown in FIG. 4
according to .DELTA.f detected by frequency offset detection
section 405. Then. RAT detection section 406 outputs a RAT
detection result.
Embodiment 2
[0058] With the present embodiment, a case will be described where
a time offset is added to a signal subject to relay.
[0059] With the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, LTE relay
station 30 receives a signal having a peak at time t.sub.0 from LTE
base station 10.
[0060] When LTE relay station 30 receives the signal from LTE base
station 10 and relays the signal to mobile station 40, LTE relay
station 30 adds time offset .DELTA.T to the signal from LTE base
station 10, to generate a signal having a peak at time t.sub.1. The
magnitude of .DELTA.T varies between RATs covering an identical
coverage area to coverage area 31 of LTE relay station 30. For
example, if coverage area 31 of LTE relay station 30 is identical
to WLAN coverage area 21 as shown in FIG. 1, .DELTA.T is 5 samples
as shown in FIG. 8. Further, for example, if coverage area 31 of
LTE relay station 30 is identical to a WiMAX coverage area,
.DELTA.T is 10 samples as shown in FIG. 8. Then, LTE relay station
30 relays the signal having the time offset .DELTA.T and the peak
at time t.sub.1, to mobile station 40.
[0061] Mobile station 40 decides in which RAT coverage area mobile
station 40 is located based on whether or not time offset .DELTA.T
is added to the received signal.
[0062] Mobile station 40, which is located in overlapping part of
LTE coverage area 11 and another RAT coverage area, receives both
the signal having a peak at time t.sub.0 and transmitted by LTE
base station 10 and the signal having a peak at time t.sub.1 and
relayed by LTE relay station 30. Accordingly, mobile station 40,
which is located in overlapping part of LTE coverage area 11 and
another RAT coverage area, can detect time offset
.DELTA.T=|t.sub.1-t.sub.0 added by LTE relay station 30. For
example, as shown in FIG. 9, when .DELTA.T having a range of 3 to 7
samples is added to a received signal, mobile station 40 detects
that mobile station 40 is located in WLAN coverage area 21 and can
enjoy both WLAN and LTE communication services. Further, for
example, as shown in FIG. 9, when .DELTA.T having a range of 8 to
12 samples is added to a received signal, mobile station 40 detects
that mobile station 40 is located in the WiMAX coverage area and
can enjoy both WiMAX and LTE communication services.
[0063] On the other hand, mobile station 40, located outside the
above overlapping part in LTE coverage area 11, receives only the
signal having a peak at time t.sub.0 and transmitted by LTE base
station 10. Accordingly, mobile station 40, located outside the
above overlapping part in LTE coverage area 11, cannot detect time
offset .DELTA.T having the ranges shown in FIG. 9. For example,
when .DELTA.T having the ranges shown in FIG. 9 is not added to a
received signal, mobile station 40 detects that mobile station 40
is not located in WLAN coverage area 21 or in the WiMAX coverage
area and can enjoy LTE communication service only. That is, when
time offset .DELTA.T is not added to a received signal, mobile
station 40 can decide that mobile station 40 is located outside the
coverage area of a narrowband communication system.
[0064] In LTE, usually, a guard interval T.sub.guard is set based
on several tens to hundreds of samples, taking into consideration
of the maximum delay time of a multipath T.sub.delay--max. That is,
to make detection easier, it is preferable that the value of time
offset .DELTA.T added by LTE relay station 30, meets the condition
.DELTA.T.gtoreq.T.sub.guard-T.sub.delay--max.
[0065] Next, the configuration of LTE relay station 30 according to
the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 shows the
configuration of LTE relay station 30 according to the present
embodiment. Further, in FIG. 10 the same reference numerals are
assigned to the same parts in FIG. 5 (Embodiment 1), and
description thereof will be omitted.
[0066] In LTE relay station 30 shown in FIG. 10, offset
determination section 306, which has the table shown in FIG. 8
determines time offset .DELTA.T with reference to the table shown
in FIG. 8 according to RAT type information received as input. If
the RAT type is WLAN, .DELTA.T is determined to be 5 samples.
Further, if the RAT type is WiMAX, .DELTA.T is determined to be 10
samples. If LTE relay station 30 is connected to a host station of
a narrowband communication system that covers an identical coverage
area to LTE relay station 30 (e.g. WLAN host station 20 in FIG. 1)
via a wired connection, LTE relay station 30 acquires RAT type
information from the host station. .DELTA.T determined in offset
determination section 306 is inputted to time offset addition
section 307.
[0067] Time offset addition section 307 adds .DELTA.T determined in
offset determination section 306 to the signal received as input
from radio receiving section 302, and outputs the signal with the
time offset to radio transmitting section 305.
[0068] Next, the configuration of mobile station 40 according to
the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 shows the
configuration of mobile station 40 according to the present
embodiment. Further, in FIG. 11 the same reference numerals are
assigned to the same parts in FIG. 6 (Embodiment 1), and
description thereof will be omitted.
[0069] In mobile station 40 shown in FIG. 11, radio receiving
section 402 receives only a signal from LTE base station 10, or a
signal from LTE base station 10 and a signal from LTE relay station
30 via antenna 401, and performs receiving processing including
down-conversion and A/D conversion on each received signal, to
output the resulting signal to time error compensation section 411,
time error detection section 412 and time offset detection section
413.
[0070] Time error detection section 412 detects time error of the
received signal by the channel and outputs the detected time error
to time error compensation section 411 and time offset detection
section 413.
[0071] Time error compensation section 411 compensates for the time
error of the received signal by the channel and outputs the signal
after the time error compensation, to demodulation section 415 and
time offset compensation section 416.
[0072] Demodulation section 415 demodulates the signal after time
error compensation and outputs the demodulated signal to diversity
combination section 410.
[0073] Time offset detection section 413 detects time offset
.DELTA.T=|t.sub.1-t.sub.0| with the received signal. The detected
.DELTA.T is inputted to RAT detection section 414 and time offset
compensation section 416.
[0074] Time offset compensation section 416 further compensates for
the time offset .DELTA.T with the signal after time error
compensation and outputs the signal after time offset compensation,
to demodulation section 417.
[0075] Demodulation section 417 demodulates the signal after time
error compensation and time offset compensation and outputs the
demodulated signal to diversity combination section 410.
[0076] Diversity combination section 410 diversity-combines the
signal received as input from demodulation section 415 and the
signal received as input from demodulation section 417 and outputs
a combined signal.
[0077] RAT detection section 414, which has the table shown in FIG.
9 detects in which RAT coverage area mobile station 40 is located,
as described above, with reference to the table shown in FIG. 9
according to .DELTA.T detected by time offset detection section
413. Then, RAT detection section 414 outputs a RAT detection
result.
Embodiment 3
[0078] With the present embodiment, cases will be described where a
power offset is added to a signal subject to relay.
[0079] With the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, LTE base
station 10 transmits a signal having power P.sub.0.
[0080] When LTE relay station 30 receives a signal from LTE base
station 10 and relays the signal to mobile station 40, LTE relay
station 30 adds power offset .DELTA.P to part of the signal from
LTE base station 10, to generate a signal having power P.sub.0 and
P.sub.1. The magnitude of .DELTA.P varies between RATs covering an
identical coverage area to coverage area 31 of LTE relay station
30. For example, if coverage area 31 of LTE relay station 30 is
identical to WLAN coverage area 21 as shown in FIG. 1, .DELTA.P is
-3 dB as shown in FIG. 13. Further, for example, if coverage area
31 of LTE relay station 30 is identical to a WiMAX coverage area,
.DELTA.P is +5 dB as shown in FIG. 13. Then, LTE relay station 30
relays the signal with power offset .DELTA.P to mobile station
40.
[0081] Mobile station 40 detects in which RAT coverage area mobile
station 40 is located based on whether or not power offset .DELTA.P
is added to the received signal.
[0082] Mobile station 40, located in the overlapping part of LTE
coverage area 11 and another RAT coverage area, receives both the
signal having power P.sub.0 and transmitted by LTE base station 10
and the signal having power P.sub.0 and P.sub.1 and relayed by LTE
relay station 30. Accordingly, mobile station 40, located in
overlapping part of LTE coverage area 11 and another RAT coverage
area, can detect power offset .DELTA.P=|P.sub.1-P.sub.0| added by
LTE relay station 30. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, when
.DELTA.P having a range of -5 to -1 dB is added to a received
signal, mobile station 40 detects that mobile station 40 is located
in WLAN coverage area 21 and can enjoy both WLAN and LTE
communication services. Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 14,
when .DELTA.P having a range of +3 to +7 dB is added to a received
signal, mobile station 40 detects that mobile station 40 is located
in the WiMAX coverage area and can enjoy both WiMAX and LTE
communication services.
[0083] On the other hand, mobile station 40, located outside the
above overlapping part in LTE coverage area 11, receives only the
signal having power P.sub.0 and transmitted by LTE base station 10.
Accordingly, mobile station 40, located outside the above
overlapping part in LTE coverage area 11, cannot detect power
offset .DELTA.P having the ranges shown in FIG. 14. For example,
when .DELTA.P having the ranges shown in FIG. 14 is not added to a
received signal, mobile station 40 detects that mobile station 40
is not located in WLAN coverage area 21 or in the WiMAX coverage
area and can enjoy LTE communication service only. That is, when
power offset .DELTA.P is not added to a received signal, mobile
station. 40 can decide that mobile station 40 is located outside
the coverage area of a narrowband communication system.
[0084] In LTE, received dynamic range P.sub.total is usually set by
adding a margin to dynamic range P.sub.fading estimated using
fading fluctuations. That is, to make detection easier, it is
preferable that the value of power offset .DELTA.P is added by LTE
relay station 30, meets the condition
.DELTA.P.ltoreq.P.sub.total-P.sub.fading.
[0085] Next, the configuration of LTE relay station 30 according to
the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 15 shows the
configuration of LTE relay station 30 according to the present
embodiment. Further, in FIG. 15 the same reference numerals are
assigned to the same parts in FIG. 5 (Embodiment 1), and
description thereof will be omitted.
[0086] In LTE relay station 30 shown in FIG. 15, offset
determination section 308, which has the table shown in FIG. 13
determines power offset .DELTA.P with reference to the table shown
in FIG. 13 according to RAT type information received as input. If
the RAT type is WLAN, .DELTA.P is determined to be -3 dB. Further,
if the RAT type is WiMAX, .DELTA.P is determined to be +5 dB. If
LTE relay station 30 is connected to a host station of a narrowband
communication system that covers an identical coverage area to LTE
relay station 30 (e.g. WLAN host station 20 in FIG. 1) via a wired
connection, LTE relay station 30 acquires RAT type information from
the host station. .DELTA.P determined in offset determination
section 308 is inputted to power offset addition section 309.
[0087] Power offset addition section 309 adds .DELTA.P determined
in offset determination section 308 to part of the signal received
as input from radio receiving section 302, and outputs the signal
with the power offset to radio transmitting section 305.
[0088] Next, the configuration of mobile station 40 according to
the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 16 shows the
configuration of mobile station 40 according to the present
embodiment. Further, in FIG. 16 the same reference numerals are
assigned to the same parts in FIG. 6 (Embodiment 1), and
description thereof will be omitted.
[0089] In mobile station 40 shown in FIG. 16, radio receiving
section 402 receives only a signal from LTE base station 10, or a
signal from LTE base station 10 and a signal from LTE relay station
30 via antenna 401, and performs receiving processing including
down-conversion and A/D conversion on each received signal, to
output the resulting signal to power offset detection section 418,
demodulation section 420 and power offset compensation section
421.
[0090] Demodulation section 420 demodulates the received signal and
outputs the demodulated signal to diversity combination section
410.
[0091] Power offset detection section 418 detects power offset
.DELTA.P=|P.sub.1-P.sub.0| with the received signal. The detected
.DELTA.P is inputted to RAT detection section 419 and power offset
compensation section 421.
[0092] Power offset compensation section 421 compensates for the
power offset .DELTA.P with the received signal and outputs the
signal after power offset compensation, to demodulation section
422.
[0093] Demodulation section 422 demodulates the signal after power
offset compensation and outputs the demodulated signal to diversity
combination section 410.
[0094] Diversity combination section 410 diversity-combines the
signal received as input from demodulation section 420 and the
signal received as input from demodulation section 422 and outputs
a combined signal.
[0095] RAT detection section 419, which has the table shown in FIG.
14, and detects in which RAT coverage area mobile station 40 is
located as described above, with reference to the table shown in
FIG. 14 according to the .DELTA.P detected by power offset
detection section 418. Then, RAT detection section 419 outputs a
RAT detection result.
[0096] Embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention have been
explained.
[0097] In this way, according to Embodiments 1 to 3, the relay
station of a wideband communication system including LTE covers an
identical coverage area to a coverage area of a narrowband
communication system including WLAN and WiMAX. Then, the relay
station of a wideband communication system adds either a frequency
offset, a time offset or a power offset as information showing that
the mobile station, which receives a relay signal from the relay
station, is located in the coverage area of a narrowband
communication system, to a signal received from the base station of
the wideband communication system, and relays the resulting signal.
Therefore, according to Embodiments 1 to 3, in a mobile
communication system where a plurality of RATs mix, it is possible
make a control channel for reporting RAT information unnecessary
and it is possible to prevent capacity of a control channel from
becoming tight or insufficient.
[0098] Further, according to Embodiments 1 to 3, the mobile station
can detect the coverage area of a narrowband communication system
using a relay signal in a wideband communication system, and
therefore, when the mobile station detects the coverage area of
each RAT, the mobile station does not need to communicate using a
control channel or narrowband communication system. That is,
according to Embodiments 1 to 3, the mobile station can detect the
coverage area of a narrowband communication system without
switching to communication using a control channel or switching to
communication using the narrowband communication system. Therefore,
according to Embodiments 1 to 3, the mobile station can reduce
power consumed by a process of detecting the coverage area of a
narrowband communication system. Further, the mobile station can
shorten the time it takes to detect the coverage area of a
narrowband communication system.
[0099] Further, according to Embodiments 1 to 3, in the mobile
station, it is possible to diversity-combine a signal received
directly from the base station of a wideband communication system
and a relay signal from the relay station of the wideband
communication system, so that it is possible to provide diversity
effect. Therefore, according to Embodiments 1 to 3, it is possible
to improve reception performance of the mobile station.
Embodiment 4
[0100] In the above Embodiments 1 to 3, LTE base station 10 reports
to mobile station 40 using a broadcast channel in advance what
information mobile station 40, which has detected the coverage area
of a narrowband communication system, needs to report to LTE base
station 10. Information requested to report to LTE base station 10
when mobile station 40 detects the coverage area of a narrowband
system include mobile station ID, RAT detection result and a
communication status of mobile station 40.
[0101] When mobile station 40 detects the coverage area of a
narrowband communication system using a relay signal in a wideband
communication system, mobile station 40 reports information
requested in advance from. LTE base station 10, to LTE base station
10.
[0102] By this means, necessary information is sequentially
reported to LTE base station 10 from mobile station 40 located in
the coverage area of a narrowband communication system, so that it
is possible to control traffic using not only coverage area
information of a wideband communication system but also coverage
area information of a narrowband communication system. For example,
when mobile station 40 communicating in a wideband communication
system with heavy traffic is located in the coverage area of a
narrowband communication system with low traffic, LTE base station
10 performs handover of mobile station 40 to the narrowband
communication system. Consequently, according to the present
embodiment, LTE base station 10 can disperse traffic in the
wideband communication system and the narrowband communication
system, and optimally control the overall traffic in the coverage
area of LTE base station 10. Further, in mobile station 40, it is
not necessary to switch a carrier frequency or measure the power of
a narrowband communication system until mobile station 40 receives
a handover command to a narrowband communication system from LTE
base station 10, so that it is possible to reduce the processing
loads in mobile station 40.
[0103] Further, as described above, according to Embodiments 1 to
3, in mobile station 40, it is possible to reduce the time it takes
to detect the coverage area of a narrowband communication system,
so that, according to the present embodiment, mobile station 40 can
report information quickly to LTE base station 10, and
consequently, following the traffic control in LTE base station 10
improves.
[0104] Embodiments of the present invention have been
explained.
[0105] The present invention may be implemented by combining the
above embodiments.
[0106] Further, although cases have been explained above with the
embodiments where one example of RATs of wideband communication
systems is LTE and one example of RATs of narrowband communication
systems is WLAN and WiMAX, the present invention does not limit the
RAT of a wideband communication system to LTE. For example, other
RATs of wideband communication systems include W-CDMA, LTE-Advanced
or communication systems after LTE-Advanced. Further, the present
invention does not limit RATs of narrowband communication systems
to WLAN and WiMAX. For example, other RATs of narrowband
communication systems include LTE, LTE-Advanced or communication
systems after LTE-Advanced, which are used as hotspots.
[0107] Further, although cases have been explained with the above
embodiments where part of the coverage area of a wideband
communication system includes the entire coverage area of a
narrowband communication system and the part of the coverage area
of the wideband communication system overlaps the entire coverage
area of the narrowband communication system, the present invention
may be implemented as described above in cases where part of the
coverage area of a wideband communication system includes part of
the coverage area of a narrowband communication system and the part
of the coverage area of the wideband communication system overlaps
the part of the coverage area of the narrowband communication
system.
[0108] Further, a base station apparatus may be referred to as a
"Node B" and a mobile station apparatus may be referred to as a
"UE." Furthermore, the relay station according to the embodiments
is referred to as "repeater," "simple base station," "cluster
head," and so on.
[0109] Further, although cases have been described with the above
embodiment as examples where the present invention is configured by
hardware, the present invention can also be realized by
software.
[0110] Each function block employed in the description of each of
the aforementioned embodiments may typically be implemented as an
LSI constituted by an integrated circuit. These may be individual
chips or partially or totally contained on a single chip. These may
be individual chips or partially or totally contained on a single
chip.
[0111] "LSI" is adopted here but this may also be referred to as
"IC," "system LSI," "super LSI," or "ultra LSI" depending on
differing extents of integration. Further, the method of circuit
integration is not limited to LSIs, and implementation using
dedicated circuitry or general purpose processors is also possible.
After LSI manufacture, utilization of a programmable FPGA (Field
Programmable Gate Array) or a reconfigurable processor where
connections and settings of circuit cells within an LSI can be
reconfigured is also possible.
[0112] Further, if integrated circuit technology comes out to
replace LSI's as a result of the advancement of semiconductor
technology or a derivative other technology, it is naturally also
possible to carry out function block integration using this
technology. Application of biotechnology is also possible.
[0113] The disclosures of Japanese Patent Application
No.2007-188572, filed on Jul. 19, 2007, and Japanese Patent
Application No.2007-330837, filed on Dec. 21, 2007, including the
specifications, drawings and abstracts, are incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0114] The present invention is applicable to, for example,
communication systems (for example, multihop systems) in which
radio communication apparatuses including mobile stations and base
stations carry out radio communication via relay stations.
* * * * *